Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Lake Charles

For many, a two-year associate degree can be the ticket to higher earning power at an affordable price. Though some types of associate degrees can be a stepping stone to a bachelor's, others are geared toward middle-skilled careers that require specialized knowledge, such as criminal justice, cybersecurity, hospitality management, and more.

Across all fields of study, someone with a two-year degree can earn a median annual salary of $49,500 as of May 2024, around 18% more than that of a high school graduate. By comparison, bachelor's degree holders can earn a median salary of $66,600 but have to invest much more time—and money—into their degree.

According to March 2025 data from the Education Data Initiative, the total cost for a degree from a two-year in-district public college averages about $35,000, compared to nearly $109,000 for a bachelor's degree. And lower costs mean fewer student loans. Just 2 in 5 associate degree recipients took on student loan debt in the 2019-2020 school year (the most recent year with available data), compared to 64% of bachelor's degree students. The two-year degree holders who did use loans borrowed less money, incurring lower interest payments.

Despite the benefits of earning a two-year degree, the number of these credentials produced across the United States is lagging. A September 2024 study from Georgetown University forecasts a nationwide shortage of nearly 361,000 credentials to fill middle-skilled jobs through 2032. However, this could be good news for anyone holding one of these versatile degrees, since the number of available jobs may soon outnumber the employees qualified to work them.

In the meantime, Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles for people with a two-year associate degree. The analysis also included jobs that listed a high school diploma, some college but no degree, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

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1 / 50

#50. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 270 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $54,720
- Median hourly wage: $26.31
- Total employment: 310 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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3 / 50

#48. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $55,670
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 2,290 people (22.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $57,570
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 330 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $58,040
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 990 people (9.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $59,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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9 / 50

#42. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 100 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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10 / 50

#41. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $59,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $59,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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12 / 50

#39. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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13 / 50

#38. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $60,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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14 / 50

#37. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 460 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

#34. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 630 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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19 / 50

#32. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 300 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders

- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 900 people (9.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 180 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $65,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 170 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $66,280
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 940 people (9.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $68,420
- Median hourly wage: $32.89
- Total employment: 170 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $68,470
- Median hourly wage: $32.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $69,510
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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32 / 50

#19. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $69,590
- Median hourly wage: $33.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

#18. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $71,050
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: 760 people (7.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $71,440
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 220 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $71,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 2,050 people (20.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $74,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 120 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $76,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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38 / 50

#13. Self-enrichment teachers

- Median annual wage: $76,600
- Median hourly wage: $36.83
- Total employment: 320 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $77,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 760 people (7.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

#11. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $78,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $80,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $80,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.82
- Total employment: 620 people (6.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 110 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $85,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $85,920
- Median hourly wage: $41.31
- Total employment: 450 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $89,460
- Median hourly wage: $43.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $89,910
- Median hourly wage: $43.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $105,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.49
- Total employment: 530 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $113,350
- Median hourly wage: $54.50
- Total employment: 160 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 363 metros.

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